United States aircraft carrier USS Franklin after being attacked by a Japanese bomber in the Pacific Ocean on March 19, 1945, during World War II. The U.S. flag flies from USS Franklin while on its way to the United States. A chaplain conducts a religious service on the deck of the aircraft carrier. The ship enters the Panama Canal. The men who faced the Japanese attack on USS Franklin being decorated. Men lined up with medals on their uniforms. Crew members smile after being decorated. The ship enters New York Harbor with the Statue of Liberty in the background.

Dwight D Eisenhower, 34th President of United States visits various countries. The U.S. Air Force plane lands and the President disembarks the plane in India, in 1959.. He is greeted by the Indian President Dr Rajendra Prasad and other dignitaries. Emblem of 'Panama'. Sign of 'welcome Ike Crusader'. Large crowd welcomes Eisenhower. Motorcade goes through the city's street. Milestones in General Eisenhower's life and the international esteem with which he is held. Lt Col Eisenhower concerned about U.S. isolationism in 1940. Explosions in Europe due to bombing by German planes. Eisenhower and other officers in the General Staff study a map. Eisenhower plans the strategy as the commander of Operation Torch (he is shown talking to General George C. Marshall and Winston Churchill). President Eisenhower visits 4 continents and meets several leaders. Large crowds welcome him. General Eisenhower prepares for D-Day. June 5, 1944: The Allied forces including troops, artillery, equipment, ammunition, aircraft and ships prepared. June 6: The Allies invade Normandy. Troops wade through the water towards the beach. German soldiers surrender. May 7, 1945: Nazi General Alfred Jodl signs the unconditional surrender of his government. General Eisenhower returns to the U.S. He receives a hero's welcome in New York. He visits his hometown in Kansas. Pictures of his family, childhood and college days. Eisenhower on his visits to various countries as President.

World War II U.S. light cruiser in Panama. Light cruiser moves towards loading docks in U.S. Tugboats on both sides of the ship. Shells being loaded in magazine or ammunition storage area of the ship. Men bring food supplies. Light cruiser underway at sea. Secondary battery crew make practice runs with a dual purpose gun. Facilities aboard a ship like a drug store below the deck of the ship, barber shop, service store, machine shop for repair, food being prepared in kitchen. Ship at Panama Canal. Ship underway at sea.

A log book entry of USS Franklin (CV-13). Aircraft take off from the flight deck while she is at few mile distance from Honshu. An aircraft in flight. U.S. aircraft in flight in pursuit of the twin Japanese bomber which was sighted by USS Hancock. An animated map shows the location where the ship was hit. Smoke rises from the ship after two bombs were dropped on it by the Japanese bomber. The bomber is shot down by an aircraft of Air Group 5. Flames shoot above the ship. Crew on the hangar deck try to douse the fire. Men carry casualties. First aid stations set up on the forward area of the flight deck. Men attend to the wounded. Men overboard. Men are helped aboard. A log book entry. Animated map shows the place where the ship went dead in water. Gun crews at station. A shot Japanese aircraft crashes into water. A log book entry. USS Santa Fe alongside the ship. She pours water on the burning ship. Wounded are removed and transferred to USS Santa Fe. Men from below the flight deck are rescued. Animated map shows the ship taken under tow by USS Pittsburgh. After a few hours, the ship sails on her own. Decks are cleaned. A prayer service for sailors who died. Ship anchored near hospital ship USS Mercy to which wounded were ferried (though footage shown is of USS Bountiful (AH-9)). Nurses attend the wounded. Patients in sick bay. A chaplain talks to a survivor. A thanksgiving and memorial service is held. A survey party evaluates the damage. Completely wrecked flight deck. The ship heads towards Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Debris is jettisoned. U.S. Navy WAVES ( Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) welcome the ship. The ship sails towards Panama. The ship enters the Panama Canal. Sailors are decorated. USS Franklin on its way to the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York, U.S. The ship reaches New York. The Statue of Liberty. A decoration ceremony on the flight deck. The ship sails again after repairs. (World War II period).

Construction of the Panama Canal. A view of the Panama Canal constructed by U.S. Army engineers. The engineers work at the Culebra Cut. A train on tracks. Smoke comes out. A crane lifts up rubble. Two engineers stand and one of them holds a shovel in his hands. The engineers work at Gold Hill. They use a hydraulic excavation cylinder and spray. A view of the Culebra Cut before the water entered. A boat underway in the Culebra Cut. A spillway at Gatun Lake. Water is controlled by the spillway. A sign reads 'Gatun Locks'. A liner in Gatun Locks. People at the dock along the Panama Canal. A view of Panama City, with people and traffic on the streets. Buildings on a street of Panama City. Mountains in the background.

Construction of the Panama Canal connecting the Caribbean Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. Views of abandoned and failed first attempt by French team led by Ferdinand de Lesseps, with scenes of Panama natives cutting vegetation with machetes. Scene of abandoned canal work area. Scenes of United States work to build the canal beginning in 1903. Steam shovels digging and moving earth. Laborers construct railroad for use in canal building. General Glen Edgerton talks about the construction difficulties from malaria, and the worker prescription of quinine three times daily. Views of British and French workers on the site working and arriving by rail to work. Dynamite explosion removes rumble for railroad construction. View of locks under construction 1000 feet long and 110 feet wide. Excerpt from interview with former Canal Zone Governor and Congressman Maurice Thatcher, who characterizes the project as the greatest liberty that man had ever taken with nature. (Thatcher was honored when the first bridge connecting both sides of the Panama Canal was named after him as "Thatcher Ferry Bridge". In 1979 the name was officially changed to the Bridge of the Americas.) Clip next shows 1970's aerial view of the Panama Canal. Ships moving through the Panama Canal.